Assembly members want data from short-term rental platforms to help address housing crunch

And: Energy-efficient heat pumps are being embraced in the Lower 48. But do they work in Alaska? ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( Today's sponsor: [Today's sponsor: Northrim Bank]( Good afternoon. It’s Tuesday, September 3. In today's newsletter: - Anchorage Assembly members are proposing that Airbnb, Vrbo and similar hosting platforms [provide more information about the growing short-term rental market]( in Anchorage, in an effort to better understand the market’s impact on the city’s housing crunch. - The case for heat pumps in Alaska, with frigid conditions that can prevent them from working year-round, isn’t always clear. But that might change as fuel prices rise, say Alaskans who are [working to expand their use in the state](. - Two candidates for an open South Anchorage state House district said [they are dropping out of the race]( and endorsing opposing candidates. On a recent trip to Alaska’s upper Colville River, scientists with the UA Museum of the North found a lost world, a time of “polar forests with reptiles running around in them." Learn more about this world of northern dinosaurs in science writer Ned Rozell's [latest column.]( Anchorage weather It's mostly sunny today with a high near 62 degrees, though rain is likely overnight. The forecast calls for rain on and off for the rest of this week, with daytime temperatures hovering in the low 60s. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [To help address housing crunch, Assembly members seek more data from Airbnb and other hosting platforms →]( [The proposal would require the platforms to disclose the number of short-term rentals in the city, in order to better understand their impact on a tight housing market.]( ADVERTISEMENT [Energy-efficient heat pumps are being embraced in the Lower 48. But do they work in Alaska? →]( Heat pumps typically won’t save money in Anchorage, but the natural gas crunch might change that. They’re fairly common in Juneau, where it’s warmer. [Two Republicans drop out of South Anchorage House race, endorsing dueling candidates →]( The departures mean a head-to-head race between nonpartisan candidate Ky Holland and Republican Lucy Bauer. • See also: [What would you like to ask candidates for U.S. House and the Alaska Legislature? Let us know here.]( [Palmer man arrested in gas station shooting described ‘feud,’ charges say →]( A 22-year-old man charged with murder in an early morning shooting Monday at a Palmer gas station told police the shooting followed a roughly two-year feud, according to charges filed in the case. [Homeless students in Alaska, nationally could lose access to added aid →]( Alaska school districts risk losing access to up to several hundred thousand dollars in federal funding aimed at helping homeless students if they aren’t able to commit to spending it by the end of September. (via Alaska Beacon) ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Motorcyclist dies in a crash with SUV in downtown Anchorage →]( [State court hears arguments in lawsuit challenging key permit for Donlin Gold mine →]( [House Democrats ask Trump if he illegally accepted $10 million from Egypt →]( [Travel: There are plenty of options for late-season getaways, in Alaska and out of state →]( [Hundreds dead and wounded in Russian missile strike on Ukrainian military academy and hospital →]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Click here to unsubscribe and manage your email subscriptions.]( Anchorage Daily News, 300 W 31st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99503, United States